It is known that implantation of acid demineralized bone (DMB) in the form of a powder in extraskeletal sites stimulates new bone formation. Various research groups (Syftestad, 1982; Urist et al., 1967; Urist and Strates, 1979; Urist and Strates, 1971; Urist et al., 1983) have suggested that a noncollagenous protein(s) present in demineralized bone has the ability to induce new bone formation when present within the implanted bone matrix.
Procedures presently utilized to demineralize ground bone fragments involve the use of ethanol to remove lipids and hydrochloric acid to remove the mineral components of bone.
It is also known to treat bones and bone particles to render them biocompatible so that they can be implanted in living animal and human bodies without being rejected. Included among the known methods for treating bone is the dilapidation of bone using ethanol or chloroform. It is further known to demineralize bone matrix with an inorganic acid such as hydrochloric acid.
Although it is well known to defat and demineralize bone for implantation purposes, known methods of demineralizing and removing lipids have been extremely tedious, labor intensive, and slow. Furthermore, an excessive amount of handling and/or exposure of the bone to non-sterile conditions has been necessary during the various phases of processing.